Review of "All Roads Home"

 Those of a certain age will certainly remember the New York Islanders when they won 4 consecutive Stanley Cups and became one of the great dynasties in hockey history.  A key member of those teams was Bryan Trottier and his story is told in this memoir.  Here is my review of "All Roads Home."

Title/Author:

“All Roads Home: A Life On and Off the Ice” written by Bryan Trottier and Steven Brunt, and narrated by Shelden Elter

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (Very good)

Review: As a member of the New York Islanders in the early 1980’s, Bryan Trottier was a key member of their teams who won four consecutive Stanley Cups.  He won two more in the early 1990’s as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins and one more in 2001 as an assistant coach for the Colorado Avalanche.  He was named as one of the 100 greatest NHL players during the league’s centennial anniversary in 2017 and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.  However, his family member are never far from his mind and this memoir show what family means to him.

Throughout the book, it is clear to the reader or listener that Trottier is very much a positive person and that family is most important in his life.  He talks lovingly about all of his children and how they are living successful lives.  Even though he was divorced twice, there is never a bitter or mean word said about either of ex-wives.  His tributes to his parents, both during their lives and at their deaths, are very touching.  It was quite different to read such a memoir.

It was also clear he was proud of his Indigenous heritage.  Many others looked to him for inspiration and while he was not outspoken about the struggles of his people, he would make them proud and never forgot that he was representing them.

This positivity is not limited to family.  No matter what part of his hockey career he talks about – junior hockey, his time with the Islanders and Penguins, his coaching in the AHL and in Colorado and even as head coach of the New York Rangers (a job he held less than one full season) he NEVER talked in the negative.  The last job was the one that really surprise me in how he did not have one iota of bitterness toward the team or its GM Glen Sather.  It’s a consistent theme through the book – Trottier was very grateful for all of his opportunities

Of course, the best passages are about his time with the Islanders and his roommate on those teams, another Hall of Fame player, Mike Bossy.  It was fun to listen to the stories about the back and forth between these two all time greats and just as great to hear the description of their play on the ice.  Having the good fortune to have seen these two and their team produce one of hockey’s greatest dynasties was a treat and listening to this audio book was almost as good.

Link: All Roads Home: A Life On and Off the Ice: Trottier, Bryan, Brunt, Stephen, Thistle, Jesse: 9780771084478: Amazon.com: Books